Chapter 112
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We’ve just finished a tough job.
Angelica and Eris, who suffered severe injuries, have healed, and our immediate concerns have been addressed.
That said, Angelica still hasn’t woken up. If she doesn’t wake up on her own, we might have to force her awake in the worst case.
Then we’d make her thank Ash for desperately protecting them.
However, I couldn’t bring myself to say that out loud.
According to Sensei, Fire God’s Throw drained excessive mana from its caster, Angelica, leaving her in a state of extreme mana depletion. If Sensei had been a little slower in containing the situation, Angelica’s life could have been in danger.
Considering the circumstances, Mika’s party is already in tatters.
But they’re not the only ones who are exhausted.
Ash from our party, though conscious, is completely drained and unable to continue fighting without rest.
The cause is the skill called Sanctuary Genesis that she showed during the previous battle.
According to Sensei, it’s an incredibly rare and overpowered skill that almost no one possesses.
Specifically, its effect is to 「halve the damage taken by those the skill user recognizes as allies from the moment of activation until the end of the battle.」 It’s so powerful that I can hardly believe my ears.
But as one might expect, the backlash is severe. After using it, both mana and physical strength are depleted, leaving Ash unable to act, just like now.
Perhaps because it’s the boss room, the Fogs that had been swarming until recently don’t appear. Taking advantage of this, we decide to set up tents and rest here, putting aside the stairs to the third floor that appeared in the boss room. After all, we’ve been exploring for half a day and just fought a life-or-death boss battle.
But───
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At a distance from us───far behind me, Saint Mika and her two companions are resting.
Coincidentally, or rather unsurprisingly when you think about it, it hasn’t been long since Angelica regained consciousness. It’s not strange that they’d think of resting here, just like us.
Not strange… but not entirely welcome either…
Changing my mindset, I decide it’s time for a meal. I take out a portable stove-like magical tool from my magic bag and start preparing to cook. Beside me, Sensei and Ash are relaxing and chatting casually.
「Ash, it’s impressive that you’ve managed to acquire such an advanced skill at your young age.」
Ash blushes, embarrassed.
「No, I just worked hard without thinking too much.」
She’s being modest, but knowing her somewhat clumsy nature, she must have single-mindedly pursued her beliefs and worked tirelessly.
I secure a fire, lay out the dishes, and start heating up bread and a jar of stew from my magic bag. At the same time, I lightly toast some cheese to put on the bread, cook some sausages, and plate everything up.
Although it’s a quickly prepared meal, the taste isn’t bad at all───or rather, it can’t be bad given the menu.
「As expected of you, son-in-law. I’ll have extra cheese on mine.」
「I never thought I’d get to enjoy such a delicious meal in a place like this.」
Their reactions are pretty good.
Of course they are. You can tell just from the smell.
I’m not trying to brag, but for us hungry folks, this is bound to be delicious.
Sensei eats while mumbling 「Yum yum.」
Ash timidly starts her meal.
I encourage them both, 「Come on, eat up, eat up.」
I’ve plated up more than enough for the three of us on a large dish. Once we eat and our stomachs are full, our spirits are sure to lift.
「Low,」
Ash calls out to me a few minutes after we start eating. Then she bows her head.
「I have a favor to ask you.」
I wonder what it could be. For a moment, I notice her gaze shift towards the area behind me.
There are Saint Mika and her two companions.
They’re clearly exhausted. Mika is nibbling on some hard tack mixed with something, washing it down with water. Angie, who was on the brink of death until recently, and Eris, who had a brush with death, don’t seem to be able to eat at all.
「The food you made is really delicious, Low. So, I was wondering───」
I can somewhat guess what Ash wants to say. But I can’t bring myself to say anything to her about it.
And she seems to be struggling to ask, perhaps being considerate of my feelings.
「I know it’s terribly presumptuous of me to ask this of you. But still, I want to ask.
Would you mind sharing some of this delicious food you made with them over there?」
「Ah─」
Ash makes a face like a child who’s done something wrong. I don’t want her to make such a sad expression.
I’m not at all displeased with her request. In fact, I respect her kindness. But that’s not it. I can’t even put into words the feeling that it’s not about that, and I can’t communicate it well. All that comes out is a blunt response.
「…Alright, I’ll share it. I’ll portion it out into dishes for them. But that’s as far as I’ll go. Ash, you’ll have to take it to them yourself.」
I sigh and answer like that.
After a while, Ash carries the plates over to them and exchanges some conversation.
「Even Ash… she’s able to do this despite having been treated so badly. I can’t be like Ash.」
From a distance, I can’t make out the content of their conversation.
But after talking with Ash for a bit, I can see them start to touch the food on their plates.
Sensei has been following my gaze.
「Son-in-law, don’t misunderstand. I have plenty of people I dislike too, and sometimes I even think it’d be better if they all disappeared. So, there’s no need for everyone to be a saint.」
She says, narrowing her eyes affectionately.
「I───and Sena too, we know full well how kind you are.」
Sensei glances at the large plate for a moment.
Then, with a wry smile, she says,
「You really made a lot, didn’t you?」
She pats my head.
I can feel the warmth from her palm.
「You know, son-in-law, I truly cherish everything about you─your awkwardness, your humanity, your sensitivity─all of it.」
For some reason, something suddenly wells up inside me.
If I let my guard down, tears might spill out.
I desperately try to hold them back.
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Considering we still have a long way to go, we decide to get some sleep, albeit briefly, and resume our exploration after a few hours.
As we’re descending the stairs to the third floor, someone taps me on the shoulder from behind. It’s Ash.
「Low, are you angry?」
She asks with an expression like a wet dog.
「I’m not angry.」
「Really?」
「Really. I respect that part of you, Ash.」
That’s because───it’s a kindness I don’t possess.
「It’s not that great.」
Maybe Ash has her own thoughts on the matter.
「More importantly, this is an incredible pace.」
I say, my eyes widening at the work of the three people in front of us.
Although she’s recovered from her mana depletion state, Angelica is still far from fully recovered. Due to her enormous mana capacity, her suffering is incomparable to that of an ordinary mage in a mana-depleted state.
That’s why Angelica is being carried on Ash’s back next to me, once again asleep. So, the three people in front are───
「Yeah. It almost makes you think they could handle this on their own…」
Sensei had gone to support Mika’s party in place of Angelica, saying, 「Can’t be helped, I’ll go out on a limb.」
Her work is truly spectacular.
Sensei draws a pattern in the air with a mysterious short sword she produced from somewhere.
Then, a dragon of light flies out from it.
「GWAGYAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!」
We cover our ears at the ear-piercing roar.
The light dragon flies around energetically, devouring all the Fog in the area in an instant.
「Is this some kind of kaiju battle?」
That’s the kind of incredible scene that unfolds before our eyes.
○○○
We must have walked for over ten hours at this pace. It’s right about then.
Sensei and the others who were walking ahead stop.
When we catch up to Sensei, she announces,
「It’s another boss room.」
「Last time, son-in-law took care of it───」
She says, rotating her shoulders in circles, perhaps to loosen up or because her arms are itching for action.
「This time, I’ll take care of the boss.」
Sensei declares, puffing out her chest so much it looks like it might spill out.
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